Chapter 23 – The Bus Ride to Disaster

There are two things I fear in life :

Running out of toilet paper.

Kenta with any kind of authority.

Guess what’s happening today?

Both of them.

Because today is our school trip.

And Kenta somehow stole the official bus seating chart.

We’re all standing in the school parking lot like chickens waiting to be herded into a giant metal cage.

The buses are huge, Shiny.

Daiki’s got his neck pillow already inflated, Mika is trying to wheel a suitcase that’s bigger than her entire body.
Mr. Kumagai is yelling something about spiritual enlightenment and hydration.

And Kenta?

He’s holding up a laminated seating chart like he’s Moses coming down from the mountain.

“BEHOLD!” he announces. “SEAT 11B YUUJI TANAKA. NEXT TOOO DRUMROLL MISS AIRI FUJIMOTO.”

I blink.

I try to run.

Daiki grabs me. “Fate has spoken, bro.”

“I want a refund.”

“No refunds.”

Kenta slaps the paper into my chest and winks. “Sit tight, you lovebirds.”

I consider faking a fainting spell, Or sneaking onto the teacher bus, Or climbing into the luggage hold.

Too late.

The bus doors open and people start boarding.

Daiki walks up with sunglasses, a neck pillow, and enough snacks to feed a small village.

“Kenta, can you not make anything chaotic before we even get on the bus?” Daiki says.

Kenta grins. “Chaos doesn’t start with me… the universe just uses me as a delivery system.”

Daiki squints. “That's..." Daiki sigh "whatever.”

Kenta dramatically points at the chart. “Silence, Destiny has spoken, The couple seats are locked in!”

Daiki turns to me. “You good, bro?”

“No.”

“Perfect.”

I get on the bus, Seat 11B. Window side.

I place my bag in the overhead rack with all the energy of someone going to their own funeral.

Then-

Airi appears, She gently places her bag beside mine and sits next to me with a smile that could outshine the sun.

“Good morning, Yuuji kun,” she says cheerfully.

Usagi It is.

I nod. “Morning.”

She leans a little closer, holding out a small container. “Do you want some candied sweet potatoes? I made them.”

“You… made them?”

“Yup! Last night, I added a little cinnamon.”

Who would believed that she was the girl who once throw an eraser at my face during midterms.

I take one and bite it.

It’s… warm, Soft, Ridiculously good.

“…This is amazing,” I mumble.

She giggles. “I’m glad!”

Why is she like this?

The bus starts moving, Mr. Kumagai is doing his best tour guide impression through the mic.
He’s shouting something about mountains, cultural bonds, and spiritual growth.

No one’s listening.

Kenta is already trying to get a vote started on “Cutest Couple.”

Daiki is asleep, Five minutes in.

Mika is trying to fit her oversized bag into the overhead rack and failing.

Hina is reading a book about scary stories.

And Usagi?

She’s resting her chin on her hand, looking out the window like she’s in a romance drama opening scene.

I try not to think about how soft her hum sounds.

Or how close her shoulder is.

Halfway into the trip,

Kenta climbs over the seats with a hand drawn "Couple Ranking Chart".

“I’ve surveyed fifteen classmates,” he announces, “and the results are in.”

“Please don’t—” I start.

“Yuuji x Airi! Most voted couple! 12 votes!”

I groan.

Usagi tilts her head. “Wow, We got that many?”

She doesn’t even deny it.

Someone claps.

Mr. Kumagai tells Kenta to sit down or be reassigned to the luggage hold.

After the noise dies down, Usagi offers me a thermos.

“It’s ginger tea, In case you get motion sickness.”

I blink. “Why do you have all this stuff?”

“I like taking care of you!!”

…Nope, Too much to handle.

She leans her head against the seat, closes her eyes, and whispers, “Let me know if you get sleepy, I don’t mind if you lean on me.”

I stare straight ahead.

I’m sweating.

This is a trap.

At some point, she falls asleep on my shoulder.

Daiki spawns beside me like a ghost.

“You okay?”

“No.”

“She fell asleep on you?”

“Yes.”

He raises an eyebrow. “You sure she’s not actually your girlfriend and just forgot to tell you?”

“Shut up.”

He snaps a photo.

“DELETE THAT!”

“Too late. Already uploading to our group chat.”

“DAIKI!!”

Three hours later, we arrive.

The inn is beautiful, Traditional wooden architecture, soft lights, lanterns, and the sound of water flowing from a nearby pond.

It feels peaceful.

Which is always the first sign of incoming doom.

Mr. Kumagai steps off the bus and spreads his arms like he owns the place. “STUDENTS! Welcome to cultural enlightenment!”

Kenta immediately yells, “Where’s the hot springs!?”

Someone else yells, “Do we get yukata!?”

Another kid yells, “I HAVE TO PEE!”

Chaos.

We’re given room keys and a basic schedule.

Boys and girls in different wings, Dinner at 6PM. Bath time separated. Lights out at 10.

“Also,” the teacher adds, “there’s a small shop down the road. You’re allowed to go in pairs or groups before curfew.”

Kenta immediately says, “Perfect, Let’s buy love charms.”

Daiki says, “Don’t give her ideas.”

Mika says, “Wait, they sell what!?”

Meanwhile, Hina just looks at me and says, “You should go, Something might change.”

What does that mean!?

As we carry our bags inside, Usagi walks beside me.

She’s humming again.

Then she says, “This place feels like a dream, doesn’t it?”

“Kind of.”

She looks up at me.

“I want to make good memories here, With you.”

I froze.

She walks ahead, not even noticing the damage she left behind.

Later, when I unpack, I find a small folded note in the side pocket of my bag.

It says :

“Thank you for sitting with me today. I was really happy. Let’s take a photo together later, okay?”
– Airi ♡

I reread it.

Then again.

And once more for extra emotional damage.

Yuuji’s Mental Diary – School Trip Day 1

Usagi Status : ☀️ Highly effective, Took a critical emotional hit to the heart.
Bus Event Log : Shoulder used as pillow / Emotional vulnerability x3
Kenta Status : Chaos Coordinator
Daiki Status : Potential blackmailer
Mika Status : Still battling her luggage
Hina Status : Says weird stuff again
Mental State : Wobbly, She's super cute.
Food Rating : Sweet potatoes and pain – 10/10
Mystery Level : One note away from an existential crisis
Conclusion : If this is just Day One of the trip, I’m going to need a therapist by Day Three.

Wait... Airi wrote it???